


Chase Away the Nightmares, Darling

by Elynn



Category: The Dark Artifices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Magnus has a nighmare and Alec comforts him, book malec, domestic husbands, thats it thats the plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-18 15:23:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18702301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elynn/pseuds/Elynn
Summary: “Magnus?”Magnus startles slightly before plastering on what he hopes is a comforting smile. “Sorry, love. I didn’t mean to wake you.”“Magnus, what's wrong?” Alec sits up and shuffles closer to Magnus. Magnus opens his mouth to tell him “nothing”, but the look on Alec’s face stops him. He doesn’t have the energy to lie tonight.“I had… a dream.”





	Chase Away the Nightmares, Darling

_ It was dark _

 

_ It was so, so very dark.  _

 

_ He crashed through the water, panic shooting through his chest. The ocean he waded through was growing, the dark liquid rising up his legs. But he didn’t have time to worry about that. He needed to search. He wasn’t quite sure what- who-  he was looking for. All he knew was that they were important, and he needed to find them. Needed to make sure they were okay. _

 

_ A scream ripped through the air. Young and terrified, it trailed off into a sob. Another scream sounded; a different voice, but still unmistakably childlike. My boys, was all he could think. My children.  _

 

_ He threw himself forward, tripping and flailing. Another wail sounded, and he bit back a sob. Desperation clawed at his throat. He was running out of time, he needed more time, he didn’t have time.  _

 

_ The water kept rising, slowing him even further. It was almost to his waist, now. But, he pushed on. Muck dragged his feet down, made him stumble. The echoing howls surrounded him, disorienting and haunting. He wasn't sure he was going in the right direction, but he didn’t have time to figure that out. He just knew he had to go forward.  _

 

_ Then he heard another scream. It was a pained howl, as opposed to the earlier wails of terror. This scream sent a bolt of ice shooting through his chest and chilled his bones. It threw him into a panic again, sending him thrashing against the water.  _

 

_ After what felt like miles of trudging, the water seemed to lower. A bit farther, and there was a bank in sight. For a moment, his hopes rose. This could be what he was looking for.  _

 

_ And then he got closer. And then he could see through the weeds and onto the ground. And then his stomach dropped.  _

 

_ There was a body.  _

 

_ He pushed himself forward. He stumbled to the body on the bank. A man, he identified. Dark hair, pale skin. There was a name on the tip of his tongue, and he tried to shout it.  _

 

_ The man was too cold, he noted as he rolled him over. His skin turning a pasty white. He was limp in his arms, offering no resistance to the manhandling. Then he saw the man’s face. _

 

_ Dark hair, pale skin.  _

 

_ Blue eyes.  _

 

_ Dull eyes. Lifeless eyes.  _

 

_ A trickle of blood from the corner of purple lips.  _

 

_ The children's screams were back, and they almost drowned out his own. _

 

* * *

 

Magnus shoots up, gasping. His hands scramble at his sides, fisting at the material underneath him. Panic rolls over him, accompanying the grief pulling at his chest. Everything feels fuzzy and warped and  _ wrong _ .

 

He tries to breathe, to get his bearings. After a few tries, it starts to work, and he forces himself to calm down. It registers somewhere in his head that he’s in his bedroom. On his bed. He un-clenches his hands from the sheets beneath him. There's a breeze coming from an open window, and when the air hits his skin he realizes that he’s sweating. 

 

Then his mind clears, and he wrenches his head to the side, and almost sobs in relief. 

 

Alec is asleep next to him, his skin turned pale silver in the moonlight streaming through the window. Hes tangled in the sheets, and there's a small frown tugging at his face. His chest rises and falls gently. He’s beautiful,  _ beautiful _ and  _ breathing _ , and Magnus almost sobs again at the wave of relief that rolls over him.

 

He threads his fingers through Alec’s, and takes comfort at how warm he is. Magnus takes deep breaths, trying to pull back the panic that had taken over. The dream hadn’t been real. Alec was here and alive and his skin was untouched by harm. Magnus rubs his thumb over Alec’s knuckles, and relaxes at the sight of his husband. 

 

It takes him longer than it should to realize that those blue eyes had opened.

 

“Magnus?” 

 

Magnus startles slightly before plastering on what he hopes is a comforting smile. “Sorry, love. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

 

“Magnus, what's wrong?” Alec sits up and shuffles closer to Magnus. Magnus opens his mouth to tell him “nothing”, but the look on Alec’s face stops him. He doesn’t have the energy to lie tonight. 

 

“I had… a dream.” 

 

Alec places his hand atop of Magnus’. He is close enough that Magnus can feel the warmth from his body. “What kind of dream?”

 

Magnus swallows hard. “I was wading through water, and it was dark,” he takes a shaky breath. “It was dark, and the water was rising. And I could hear the boys crying.” Alec’s hand tightens around his. 

 

“They were crying, and I was running and trying to find them. But no matter where I went I couldn’t find them,” Magnus took a shaky breath. “And then I heard you scream.” 

 

Magnus shivers as the dream flashes before his eyes. The sound Alec had made, the water, the crying. He hadn’t had such a vivid nightmare since his return from Edom. 

 

“You- you were hurt. And I was trying to run, and the voices got louder and louder and the water was rising.” Magnus takes a deep breath, and his voice drops to a whisper. “And then I found you.” 

 

“Magnus…” 

 

“You were on a… a river bank. You were laying half in the water, laying face down. And when- when I rolled you over you were - you were bleeding-” 

 

“Magnus!” Alec cries. He is grasping Magnus’ hands. When he looks down, he realizes his hands are shaking, blue sparks flitting between his fingers. “Oh,” Magnus croaks. 

 

Alec scrutinizes him for a few moments, before throwing back the sheets and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Magnus watches in a daze as Alec grabs their respective robes. A bundle of purple silk is tossed into his lap. 

 

“Come on, Magnus,” Alec says tenderly. 

 

“What…?” Magnus begins to question, but he’s already pulling on his robe. Alec shushes him and takes his hand. 

 

“Trust me.” 

 

Alec pulls him up and out of bed, and leads him out into the hallway. He pauses in front of a bedroom door, puts a finger to his lips in a  _ be quiet _ motion, and carefully pushes the door open. Light from the hallway streams into the room, illuminating the sprawled body on the bed. Max is tangled in the sheets, his stuffed animals knocked to the floor. The boy twitches and sniffs before rolling over, deep in a dream. 

 

Alec gives him a moment to look, before he’s closing the door and pulling Magnus to Rafael’s room. Inside, Rafe is curled into a small bundle under the blankets. A mop of dark curls peeks from beneath the sheets.  And there, ever so gentle, is the tell-tale rise and fall of breathing. After another moment to drink in the sight, the door is once again closed and Alec turns to face him. 

 

Taking Magnus’ hand, Alec places it over his heart. “We’re okay. We’re all okay,” he whispers.

 

Magnus marvels for a moment at the feel of Alec’s heartbeat under his palm before nodding. “Thank you,” he murmurs. Alec leans up and kisses Magnus, sweet and short, before pulling back. 

 

“Tea?” 

 

Magnus gives a small grin. “Yes, please.” 

 

They’re halfway through their cups when Max comes padding down the hallway. Bleary- eyed, he blinks up at them. 

 

“Dada? Papa?” 

 

“Hey buddy,” Alec bends down to scoop him up. “What are you doing up?” 

 

“Had a weird dream. Then I heard ya’ talkin’.” 

 

Alec hums as he bounces Max. “Papa had a weird dream too. We came out here to make some tea for Papa so he could get sleepy again. Do you want to try some?” 

 

Max sniffs the cup that Alec offers him suspiciously. 

 

“Smells kinda weird…” 

 

“It tastes better than it smells, I promise.”

 

Max cautiously sips the tea before pulling away. His face scrunches up adorably. After a few moments of contemplation, he tugs the cup back to try again. Magnus and Alec chuckle lightly. 

 

“Do you like it?” Magnus asks. 

 

“Hmm, I dunno,” Max says. Then he takes another drink. 

 

“You don’t know?” Magnus asks dryly, but he smiles. 

 

Max takes one more sip before pulling away. “Kay, I’m done.” 

 

“Do you feel sleepy?” Alec asks

 

“Yeah,” Max yawns. 

 

Alec exchanges Max into Magnus’ arms, taking both their cups to the sink. As Alec cleans up the discarded tea bags and spills, Magnus gently rocks the toddler in his arms. Max’s eyes are already drooping, his body relaxing into the arms around him. He leans his head on his Papa’s chest and yawns. Magnus drops his lips to the crown of navy hair and presses a lingering kiss there. 

 

Now done tidying up, Alec comes up and hugs Magnus, effectively cocooning Max between them. He too sprinkles kisses to the top of Max’s (now dozing) head, before leaning up to kiss Magnus. He tilts his head, slightly chapped lips fitting perfectly to Magnus’. Sighing, he melts into it, shuffling slightly closer. Alec nips lightly at his bottom lip, and lets out a small hum. 

 

“Maybe we shouldn’t do this with a three year old between us?” Alec pulls away to murmur. 

 

“He’s asleep,” Magnus murmurs back as he leans in again. 

 

Alec swats his arm. “Magnus!” 

 

Magnus snorts and pulls away to look down at his son sleeping in his arms. Berry blue hands curl around the fabric of Magnus’ robe, lightly holding onto his father. Magnus hugs his son closer and presses another kiss to his head, and then two more to the small horns peeking out from his hair. 

 

They tuck Max back into his bed, then climb back into their own. They lay on their sides, facing each other. They're as close as they can get, chests pressed together and legs tangled. Alec’s hands come up to cup his face, stroking his jaw and neck, twisting in his hair. He leans into the touch, savoring the comfort offered. Callused fingers trace patterns only they know, leaving trails of fire across his skin. 

 

The cold in his chest left by the dream has long thawed by now. But the domesticity of Alec’s actions somehow make his heart melt even more. 

 

As Alec’s touches lull him to sleep, his mind wanders. A different pair of blue eyes flashes through his mind. Eyes from centuries ago that had also loved a warlock. Eyes long gone from this world. 

 

But he knows the warlock who was left behind, and he knows that she would never, in her many immortal years, regret marrying that mortal boy. Because his love was worth the pain of his death. And Magnus knows that the same is true for him and his Alexander. Is just as true for his children.

 

Then he turns his thoughts away from the inevitability of death, and focuses on his husband here and now. 

 

Because they are together and happy, and death does not loom over their heads tonight. 

**Author's Note:**

> I felt really emotional after Red Scrolls of Magic so I wrote myself some fluff :')


End file.
